Evidence that highly canalized fetal traits are sensitive to intergenerational effects of maternal developmental nutrition

© 2023 The Authors. American Journal of Biological Anthropology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC..

OBJECTIVES: Maternal experiences before pregnancy predict birth outcomes, a key indicator of health trajectories, but the timing and pathways for these effects are poorly understood. Here we test the hypothesis that maternal pre-adult growth patterns predict pregnancy glucose and offspring fetal growth in Cebu, Philippines.

METHODS: Using multiple regression and path analysis, gestational age-adjusted birthweight and variables reflecting infancy, childhood, and post-childhood/adolescent weight gain (conditional weights) were used to predict pregnancy HbA1c and offspring birth outcomes among participants in the Cebu Longitudinal Health and Nutrition Survey.

RESULTS: Maternal early/mid-childhood weight gain predicted birth weight, length, and head circumference in female offspring. Late-childhood/adolescent weight gain predicted birth length, birth weight, skinfold thickness, and head circumference in female offspring, and head circumference in male offspring. Pregnancy HbA1c did not mediate relationships between maternal growth and birth size parameters.

DISCUSSION: In Cebu, maternal growth patterns throughout infancy, childhood, and adolescence predict fetal growth via a pathway independent of circulating glucose, with stronger impacts on female than male offspring, consistent with a role of developmental nutrition on offspring fetal growth. Notably, the strength of relationships followed a pattern opposite to what occurs in response to acute pregnancy stress, with strongest effects on head circumference and birth length and weakest on skinfolds. We speculate that developmental sensitivities are reversed for stable, long-term nutritional cues that reflect average local environments. These findings are relevant to public health and life-history theory as further evidence of developmental influences on health and resource allocation across the life course.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:183

Enthalten in:

American journal of biological anthropology - 183(2024), 4 vom: 29. März, Seite e24883

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Ragsdale, Haley B [VerfasserIn]
Lee, Nanette R [VerfasserIn]
Kuzawa, Christopher W [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Birth outcomes
Glucose
Glycated Hemoglobin
Growth
IY9XDZ35W2
Intergenerational
Journal Article
Metabolism
Pregnancy

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 04.03.2024

Date Revised 04.03.2024

published: Print-Electronic

Citation Status MEDLINE

doi:

10.1002/ajpa.24883

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM365095028